Against All Odds: The Surprising Return - Part 2

It is a joy to us who come to the Word of God to know that however massive this task is,

not only in understanding the Word, but especially applying that Word to our hearts isn't a task

! It's a task that we invite the Spirit to do along with us and to help to do for us as we

submit ourselves to the Scriptures as we seek to apply that Word to our lives. And then we see

the work of God and how He does that in us and how He blesses us with the joy of seeing His work

in the lives of others. What a privilege that is. Well, tonight, most of you, many of you,

maybe all of you will be participating in an activity, probably watching the Super Bowl together.

Bright lights, packed stadiums, confetti, the celebration that's taking place. And for all

intents and purposes, this is really kind of the center of attention for today, is it not?

Somewhere around $800 million will be spent on commercials. About $8 million per 30-second slot

is going to be spent. Somewhere around 65,000 people will attend the game this evening and spending

about $4,500, upwards around $30,000 on a ticket. With some tickets going around $40,000 even.

About 127, 130 million people will be participating and watching the game tonight. Planning has been

underway for the last 18 months. It will feel like the center of the world in many ways. But by tomorrow

morning, all the crowds will have left, all the seats will be empty, and there will be those who will

be there in the stadium cleaning up after a massive event. Here's the sobering reality.

Many of you probably don't even know who's playing tonight. That would be me. I don't even know who's

playing tonight. Many of you probably don't know who won last year, don't know who the MVP is,

don't know where the game was played, don't know what the score was, all of those things that seem

really important tonight. We won't have any clue what's happening just a few days from now.

Moments that felt really massive, moments that garnered lots of attention, will fade into

meaninglessness. That's kind of where we find ourselves this morning in the book of Acts, Acts chapter 1.

Acts 1 · chapter mention

It's kind of how this whole movement of the church begins. It begins with this sense of a letdown after

these massive crowds that were once so prevalent in the city of Jerusalem. And now, just a month and a

half afterwards, all we're left with is just a spattering of followers, 120 people who seem to be

left. This unexpected movement that seemed to garner the attention of an entire nation, now all of a

sudden has faded into almost obscurity. Jesus was taken, of course, by religious leaders. He was put to

death by Roman authorities. And all of a sudden, unexpectedly, this movement that seemed to be

gaining steam was over. But the lesson of what happens in the book of Acts is unforgettable.

What if God does his greatest work when the stadium is empty? What if the mission of Christ was never

built on crowd size, but was built on quiet obedience? What if the real story of the history

is not the roar of the crowd, but the faithfulness of the remnant who were left? What if the difference

between collapse of a movement in courage is that they return? These few returned. They obeyed. They

went back to Jerusalem. They did what they were told. They followed the instructions that they were given.

And these four realities that we have come to begin to see last week in the surprising return of these

disciples. And these realities that we started looking up last week. The promise of Christ, the promise of

God that kept them. The power of God that was set before them. The pattern of God that was given to

guide them in their efforts. And finally, the people who were determined to obey the instructions that

they were given. Now we bring all of that into focus through Acts chapter 1 verses 12 to 13. And I would

Acts 1:12–13

encourage you, if you have your Bibles, please open with me Acts chapter 1. If you're using the Pew Bible

Acts 1 · chapter mention

there in front of you, it's on page 909. Luke will say, almost matter-of-factly, then they returned to

Jerusalem. And in that surprising return, God will begin to shape the hope and the life of this group

of believers. And he will set a pattern for us on how we can enjoy and experience the benefits of the

working power of God to accomplish his purposes through simple obedience. Simple obedience.

So we see their obedient return in verse 12. Look with me there. It says,

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.

And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James

and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot

and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer together

with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers. As we saw last week, it's easy to read

these verses as generally un-extraordinary. We see them as the automatic and natural expectation.

This is what we have come to expect. And as we, maybe as you're familiar with the book of Acts,

you know the story. It's routine. And of course, the disciples come back to Jerusalem.

But when we read, Then they returned to Jerusalem, we need to pause for a moment and understand the

significance of this response and what God is beginning to put in place and the pattern He's

beginning to set for us as people who also want to comply to the instructions of God and to enjoy the

benefits of His promise. We need to feel the significance of this work of God working through

extraordinary means to accomplish His objectives. Take note of these words. Then they returned.

We saw last week that it was an immediate response. We understood through the text that the word

then is meant to help you understand the immediate sequence of events that are taking place. That

they receive these instructions from the angels. They've watched Jesus ascend into heaven. The angels

come and say, hey, what are you doing, guys? Why are you standing around looking around? Do what He said.

And so then they return. This immediate posture of obedience without hesitation, without delay,

without question, without second guessing. They do what they're told. They follow the instructions

that they received already from Jesus. So we saw the beginning of Acts chapter 1, verse 4. It says,

Acts 1:4

And while staying with them, speaking of Jesus, He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem,

but to wait for the promise of the Father, which He had said, you heard from me. This imperative order,

this command, this instruction that was given. And the disciples saw it for what it was. Not just a

suggestion, but as a command to follow. And they do it immediately, without hesitation.

And second, we saw last week that it was purposeful. That there was direction to their obedience.

Again, verse 12, they returned to Jerusalem. Then verse 13, and when they had entered,

they went up to the upper room where they were staying. And it's difficult to really appreciate

what's taking place here in the English translation, but each of these four verbs,

they returned, they entered, they went up, they were staying, are verbs that have a prefix,

a prepositional prefix that has direction attached to it. This direction to their obedience,

this design to their obedience. And what seems so natural to us is all a strategic way in which God

was getting them to the place where He wanted them to be. Maybe you say, big deal. Why are you making

such a big point about this? And the reason, of course, is because simple obedience is what activates

God's unstoppable plan. Simple obedience activates God's unstoppable plan. It's not going to be based

upon your heroics. It's not going to be based upon your charisma. It's not going to even be based upon

your giftedness. It's not going to be based upon your ability to defend what you believe or even

articulate what you believe. The plan of God, the purposes of God will be worked out and put into

motion as you decide to obey God's instructions. Simple obedience activates God's unstoppable plan.

Do what God says and you will invite God's power. But see, obedience wasn't automatic for these men.

And that's what I want to spend our time this morning understanding. That while we see obedience here,

obedience was really not the pattern for these men. And there are four reasons that we can stand back

and just appreciate the work of God that's taking place here. Last week, we saw that it was activated

first by the promises of God. This promise of God that kept them. And we saw last week that Jesus'

ministry there began in the Jordan Valley, in the Jordan River area. And right after His baptism,

He was driven into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. And there He was tempted for 40 days.

Well, in Luke's account and in Matthew, in Mark's account, we get the impression that as soon as Jesus

came out of temptation, He made His way immediately to Galilee. But John's account helps us to understand

that there may have been as much as a year that Jesus spends in ministry there in Judea, there around the

Jordan River, and Jerusalem before He ever makes His way back to Galilee.

Jesus is there. He's performing miracles. He's casting out demons. He and His disciples are

constantly surrounded by people. His ministry to them, Jesus' ministry to them is flourishing.

So Jesus, recognizing the press of the ministry on His disciples, when He, at some point that happens

in John, Jesus encourages His disciples, hey, let's get away. Let's get some retreat. Let's have some time

of refreshment. And so they go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, this retreat experience that

they were supposed to enjoy. And who do you suppose meets them on the other side? Well, we find from

Matthew chapter 14, verses 13 and 14, that Jesus and His disciples withdrew from there in a boat to a

Matthew 14:13

desolate place by Himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed Him on foot from the towns.

When He went ashore, He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Fortunately, Jesus is not like me. Fortunately, Jesus isn't like many of us. That when we decide

that we deserve some time off, we deserve some time of refreshment, and then all of a sudden,

the crowds come, and we're like, wait a second, this is not what I signed up for. Jesus, instead of

pushing the crowds away, recognizing that Jesus, or that God was sovereign over that,

He had compassion on those crowds. And you know the story. Jesus, He healed their sick. He spent the day

healing their sick. But then He turns it into an object lesson, where He invites the disciples to

begin to think about how they were going to take care of the physical needs of those who had come.

How are you going to deal with their hunger? And of course, Jesus cared about their hunger, too.

But He cares more about their spiritual needs, and He wanted the disciples to recognize,

even at the very beginning of the ministry, that the things that seemed impossible for them

were possible with God. Jesus would meet their physical needs by feeding 5,000 men and as many as

15,000 women and children. Well, He would send the crowds away, and on the next day, those same people

would return. And that's where we find ourselves in the book of John, John chapter 6. And Jesus, now,

John 6 · chapter mention

He's caring about these spiritual matters, not just the physical matters. And so He's going to

begin to ask and make some very bold and defining statements about the fact that He is the bread of

life that's come down from God, and that they would need to eat on His flesh and drink His blood. And the

disciples that were listening, the crowd of people that had come to turn out to hear this were like,

what is going on with this guy? So then in John chapter 6, verse 60, we find many of His disciples

John 6:60

heard these things and said, this is a hard saying. Who can listen? And we find in verse 66 that

after this, many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. These bold, confusing statements

caused many of Jesus' disciples, the thousands that were there, to not even bother associating themselves

with Christ's ministry anymore. And we would see this as a pattern just generally across the landscape of

the nation of Israel. But what we find, a promise of Christ to His disciples that He would keep them.

John chapter 6, verse 61, Jesus now turns to His disciples. He says, knowing in Himself that His

John 6:61

disciples were grumbling about this, He said to them, do you take offense at this?

Then in verse 64, there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning

who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray Him. And He said, this is why I

told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted to Him by the Father. Then in verse 67,

so Jesus says to the twelve, do you want to go away as well? And Jesus answered them, did I not choose you,

the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil? He spoke of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. For he,

one of the twelve, was going to betray Him. Jesus understood the fickle hearts of the nation of Israel.

He understood how displaced the hearts even of His own disciples were. And yet the promise-keeping

power of Christ in knowing His own, you are going to remain with Me. One of you will depart. And Jesus

knows that it's Judas by name. So by the time we make our way to Acts chapter 1, verse 13, we see that

Acts 1:13

they're all accounted for. They returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem,

a Sabbath day journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room where they were

staying. And here they are, all accounted for. Peter and John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas,

Bartholomew, Matthew, James, Simon, and Judas, the son of James. The promise-keeping power of God

to keep His own. The eleven apostles, here they are. Jesus fulfills His word. What if we believed

the most important thing we could do as a church was obey the simple instructions of our Lord and

trust Him to keep His promises? What if we believed that the instructions that God gave led to the

results that we begin to see breaking forth in the first chapter of Acts chapter 1? What if we believed

Acts 1 · chapter mention

that it was just as simple as doing what God instructed? And we could trust Him with those results?

We didn't have to worry about strategies. We didn't have to worry about performance. We didn't have to worry about

making things happen. We just trusted that the instructions that God gave to us were sufficient. We just did what He

told us to do, and we trusted Him for the results, and we were satisfied with what He determined was right.

Remember the promises of God and marvel at the return of the disciples to Jerusalem.

Those promises that kept them. Second, we say, and want to consider the power that was set before them.

The power that was set before them. You know, if we trace the public ministry of Jesus

throughout the gospel of Luke, we find the extraordinary power of God.

And really at the very beginning of Luke's account as Jesus will make His way into Nazareth,

we see in Luke chapter 4, verses 18 and 19, it says,

Luke 4:18

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives in recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who were oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

And then Jesus will, after reading the scroll, He sits down and He says,

Today, this has been fulfilled in your hearing.

And the crowd there in Nazareth, there in the synagogue in Nazareth,

marveled at what He said, the authority of His words.

And the things that Jesus was teaching blew them away.

It became kind of the beginning of this movement that Jesus will begin to put into motion.

Where people were seeking after Him.

And so then we get to Luke chapter 5, the beginning of verse 1.

Luke 5 · chapter mention

And so many crowds are there coming after Jesus that Jesus has to get onto a little boat

and move out into the Sea of Galilee so you have some space between Him and the people.

We find in Luke chapter 5, verse 15, Jesus heals this man with leprosy.

Luke 5:15

And it says,

But now even more, the report about Him went abroad.

And great crowds gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their infirmities.

Mark gives us a fascinating account of the ministry of Jesus.

Notice this in Mark chapter 3, verses 20 and 21.

Mark 3:20

It says this,

They thought Jesus was crazy.

They thought there was something mentally wrong with Him because He was always surrounded by the press of the crowd.

He never seemed to take a break.

So that in a few verses later, Mark chapter 3, verse 31,

Mark 3:31

His mother and brothers came again.

Standing outside, they sent to Him and called Him.

And a crowd was sitting around Him.

And they said,

Your mother, your brothers are outside seeking you.

This continuing ministry of Jesus that continued to gain popularity.

So that even as Jesus now leaves Galilee and begins His way towards Jerusalem,

we find in Matthew chapter 19, verses 1 and 2.

Matthew 19:1

Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, He went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea,

beyond the Jordan, and large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there.

The prominence, the popularity, the ministry of Jesus that was so prominent.

His popularity in Judea and Jerusalem was massive, was epic.

So that by the time that Jesus is now making His way into Jerusalem,

this final time for the day of Passover, we find in Luke chapter 19,

Luke 19 · chapter mention

you're familiar with this story,

that Jesus entered Jericho, He was passing through,

and behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus.

He was a chief tax collector, was rich.

He was seeking to see who Jesus was.

But on account of the crowds,

He could not because He was so small in stature.

There were too many people.

The crush of the crowds, the press of the multitudes were there.

And as Jesus now makes His way into Jerusalem,

the same kind of thing is taking place.

We find that in Luke 19, 47 and 48.

He was teaching daily in the temple.

The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy Him,

but they did not find anything they could do,

for all the people were hanging on His words.

It's repeated again a couple chapters later.

Luke 21, 37.

Every day He was teaching in the temple,

but at night He went out and lodged on the Mount Cololivet.

And early in the morning,

all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

The crowds in Jerusalem would swell some figures,

as many as 1.2 to 2 million people.

And the temple mount area could hold as many as 100,000 people.

Now, all of them were probably not there,

but you get a sense of the massive crowds that were taking place.

So what does Jesus need to do to prepare His disciples for this Acts 1 kind of ministry?

He needs to help them understand that He's not going to be around forever.

He needs to help them understand that while the massive crowds are there,

Jesus is the common denominator.

What's going to happen when Jesus is absent?

See, embedded in the messaging that He gives,

that Jesus gives to His disciples,

right leading up to His crucifixion is found in John chapter 14.

John 14 · chapter mention

He says in John chapter 14, verse 3,

John 14:3

I am going away.

I'm going to prepare a place for you.

Then in John 14, 19,

Yet a little while, and the world will not see you.

John 16, 6,

I'm going away to Him who sent me.

Then John 16, 16,

A little while, and you will see me no more.

You get to see this clear sense that Jesus is preparing His disciples for what's coming.

What was this massive, prominent ministry that depended on the presence of Jesus?

What will happen when Jesus is gone?

And Jesus is leaving, and He wants to prepare His disciples for that moment.

He says this in John 16, 7,

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth.

It is to your advantage that I go away.

For if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.

But if I go, I will send Him to you.

And that's what we find in Acts chapter 1.

Acts 1 · chapter mention

We find in Acts chapter 1, verse 4 and 5, this promise of Jesus,

Acts 1:4

Wait in Jerusalem.

Wait for the Spirit.

The Spirit will empower you.

The Spirit will fill you.

The Spirit will help you carry out the instructions that I'm giving to you.

Trust the Spirit.

Do what I say, and you will enjoy the results.

You see, God had a master strategy.

The disciples could never have anticipated

that Jesus was going to go,

and the Spirit was going to come.

He was going to fill them and empower them for the work

that God had prepared for them.

So marvel at the master plan of our Savior.

Marvel at the return of the disciples into Jerusalem.

And it's this supply of power that was not just sufficient.

It was overabounding to help create this unstoppable movement.

Second, what if we were convinced that God delights in using His power

to accomplish impossible things through very meager people?

You and me.

What if we believed that God's power could accomplish the work

that God promised to accomplish through the power of His Spirit?

And to demonstrate, this work does not depend on us.

So we just want to just briefly think about the frailty of the disciples.

And that's our next point.

I want to consider the pattern that would guide them.

What was their tendency as a group of followers?

What do we find throughout the course of Jesus' ministry?

What is the pattern that they show,

and what is the pattern they need to develop?

Consider the pattern that guided them.

You see, the disciples have a tendency to fall away.

You remember all of those times that the fickle hearts of the disciples

seem to be carrying them away from Jesus instead of towards Jesus?

But Jesus knows their tendency to cower.

Jesus knows their tendency to be afraid.

As a matter of fact, this is a tendency that has been built in from the very beginning of time.

One of my favorite verses going all the way back to sixth grade is Joshua 1.9.

Have I not commanded you, be strong and have a good courage.

Be not afraid, nor be dismayed.

For the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go.

You can trust in the pattern of power from God.

You can trust Him.

You don't have to be afraid.

And so we find these disciples.

They were so given to fear, weren't they?

We find this over and over through their lives.

Especially in the garden, we see this being set before us.

This group of men who promoted their loyalty, remember?

Oh yeah, we're loyal to Him.

And just a couple of months before the crucifixion,

you remember that Mary and Martha had invited Jesus to come and to heal Lazarus, their sick brother.

And things were already very hostile in Jerusalem.

And the disciples knew the danger that was in Jerusalem and Bethany,

just a couple of miles away from Jerusalem.

They knew that Jesus had already been,

excuse me, the religious leaders had already tried on a couple of occasions

to throw stones to kill Christ.

And here they were.

Now, in the shadow of Jerusalem, in Bethany,

and what does Thomas say?

Thomas, this obedient, loyal one, says,

Let's also go that we may die with Him.

Good Thomas.

His desire to be loyal.

His desire to be faithful.

Follower.

Things were hot in Jerusalem.

And now, during this week of ministry,

this Passover week that we find,

and Jesus, He's there in the Garden of Gethsemane,

and He begins to establish this pattern.

He wants to put this pattern of faithfulness in front of His disciples.

We find from Matthew 26, verses 30 to 35,

Matthew 26:30–35

When they sung a hymn,

they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus said to them,

You will all fall away because of me this night.

For it is written,

I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.

Peter answered Him,

They all fall away because of you.

I will never fall away.

Jesus said to him,

Truly I tell you, this very night,

before the rooster crows,

you will deny me three times.

Peter said to Him,

Even if I must die with you,

I will not deny you.

And all the disciples said the same.

But you remember the story, don't you?

The crowds came.

The soldiers were there.

The religious leaders were in tow.

And they had good intentions,

but very poor follow-through.

The crowds would come,

and Jesus would respond,

and there was this flash of courage, remember?

This flash of courage,

where the disciples are thinking,

Okay, should we strike right now with a sword?

Should we defend you?

And Peter reaches out,

and he's the one who's cutting off the ear of the,

excuse me,

the high priest's servant, right?

But immediately following this action,

we find all the disciples fled.

They left him and fled.

You see, Jesus had promised this too,

because Jesus understood

the cowering, fickle hearts of these disciples.

He knows our fickle, cowering hearts as well.

This timid band of disciples

who were easily shaken,

fearful, and disloyal.

And this promise of Christ,

strike the shepherd,

and the sheep will scatter.

That's our tendency.

Well, God says,

Fear not,

for I am with you.

Be not afraid.

I'm your God.

I will strengthen you.

That's the promise.

And yet,

our hearts continue to fear.

We struggle with fear.

30 years after this event,

the Apostle Peter would encourage the church

with the same pattern.

Remember,

the pattern was watch and pray.

That was the ground that was set before him.

You don't have to fear,

but if you're going to resist temptation,

if you're going to stand in the face of the conflict,

you need to watch and pray

that you may not enter into temptation.

Peter would respond

and say much the same thing

in 1 Peter 4, verse 7.

1 Peter 4:7

He says,

That's the pattern

of a people who will be able to stand

in the face of temptation,

who will be able to stand

in the face of fear and conflict.

They will be people

who are strengthening themselves

in prayer,

in dependence on God.

So be courageous,

but not in your own strength.

Be courageous

in the strength

of the Lord.

Marvel

at the return

of the disciples

that God is shaping

fickle hearts,

that God is shaping

fearful hearts.

He's making

a man

who are

committed

to Christ.

And we see

here in Acts chapter 1,

Acts 1 · chapter mention

what are they doing?

They're coupling themselves

to God's purpose

through prayer.

Waiting

and praying.

What if we believed

that God's pattern

of prayer

was not just a good idea,

it was the only option.

It was necessary.

It was essential.

I love how

A.C. Dixon

puts this.

He says,

when we depend

upon organizations,

we get what

organizations can do.

When we depend

upon education,

we get what

education can do.

When we depend

upon man,

we get what

man can do.

But when we depend

upon prayer,

we get what

God can do.

Oh, may God

help us

to depend

on Him

through prayer.

And it's a pattern

of life

to anchor us

in the hardest times.

Finally,

let's consider

the people

who remained

with them.

Consider the people

who remained

with them.

You see,

many would fall away

and we get

immediately after

the crucifixion,

we kind of get

this story

in Luke chapter 24

Luke 24 · chapter mention

of essentially

these disciples,

two disciples

on their way

to Emmaus

and they kind of

explain that

the general tenor

of the nation

really at that point

we find

these two disciples,

Cleopas

and perhaps

his wife,

that other

disciple's name

is not given

and there's

a seven mile

hike from Jerusalem

to Emmaus

and they're

having a conversation

with one another.

No doubt

they were talking

about the crucifixion,

no doubt

they were talking

about this

messianic expectation

and all that Jesus

was going to do

and all they saw,

the multitudes

that were gathering,

this three year

ministry that had

turned the nation

upside down

and then all of

this sudden,

this unexpected,

this unexpected

turn of events,

the religious leaders

who come,

the Roman authorities

who take Christ,

he's tried,

he's scourged,

he's crucified,

there he dies

and they must be

thinking it's over,

what just happened,

how did this take place?

And then they hear

these remote

discussions

and conversations

about some women

who saw Jesus

at the tomb

and this mystery

that surrounded

this news

and here they are

having this conversation

when all of a sudden

Jesus shows up.

They don't know

who he is,

they see him

walking there

in Luke 24,

15,

while they were

talking and discussing

together,

Jesus himself

draws near

and joins their journey

and asks them

what they were

talking about

but they didn't

recognize him

and they say,

are you the only

visitor to Jerusalem

who does not know

the things that have

happened in these days?

Where have you been?

What are you,

what news channels

are you listening to?

This illustrates

the prevailing heart

of the people

of the nation.

Confusion,

discouragement,

uncertainty,

heartache,

who was this one

we thought was the Messiah?

And the effects

of these events

will speak for themselves

as we look at

the remnant

who is left there

in Jerusalem,

we find only 120

who are left

of the thousands

and tens of thousands

who had followed Jesus

at some point

throughout his ministry.

And only 120

are left.

We find in Acts 1,

Acts 1:15

verse 15,

in those days

Peter stood up

among the brothers.

The company of persons

was in all

about 120.

What a meager group.

Of course,

the 11 apostles

were there.

Maybe a spattering

of the 72

who had followed Jesus

at some point.

Perhaps some of those

who were of the 500,

remember Jesus

showed up to 500.

He revealed

that He had been

resurrected.

Where are they?

Where are these

massive crowds?

We're left

at this point

wondering

what is going to happen

to this movement

that Jesus began.

Even the disciples

themselves

are floundering

in this 40-day window.

We find from

John chapter 21

John 21 · chapter mention

that they are in Galilee,

but what are they doing?

Well,

they're fishing.

They're fishing.

And not just fishing,

but they're not even together.

We find from John 21, 2

that there's only

seven of the 11

that are left

that actually go out

together to fish.

Where are the others?

Why did they

return to their

former life?

What is the lesson

we can learn?

And it's Jesus

that comes.

He meets them there.

It's Jesus

that begins

to realign

their perspective.

It's the presence

of Jesus

that helps them

recognize once again

that the mission

that they've been called to

has not failed

and they're called

back to that purpose

of being fishers

of men.

In the beautiful part

we find in Acts

Acts 1:14

chapter 1, verse 14,

they're together

with the women

and Mary,

the mother of Jesus

and his brothers

and some translations

even have

and his sisters.

This family

had wondered

if Jesus

was out of his mind.

God changes

their hearts,

transforms

their opinions

and here they are.

They're represented

in this 120.

These believers

who God will use

to turn the world

upside down.

This ragtag group,

this meager group,

this surprisingly

infinitesimal

small group

compared to the thousands

who had come.

but it's all

by design

to draw attention

to the mighty

work of God.

God doesn't need

a crowd

to accomplish

his purposes.

He needs a few.

A few faithful,

obedient

followers of his

and then he can

multiply the loaves

and he can multiply

the fishes

and he can do the work.

It rests

in the power of God

not in the power

of men.

What if we believed

that God works

through small things

to accomplish

his amazing purposes?

What if we believed

that the results

didn't really depend

on us

but depended

upon God?

What would that change?

What would that begin

to change

for this week?

What one step

would you alter

in your week

to align your hearts

to the truths

that we've seen

this morning?

To remind ourselves

of God's instructions

and what he has

called us to do

and simply obeying

the things

that God has said.

How that will lead

to the results

that he's promised.

Remember

what he says

in Acts chapter 1

Acts 1:8

verse 8?

He says,

You will receive

power

when the Holy Spirit

has come upon you

and you

will be witnesses.

God's promise

for those who obey

God's instructions.

Oh may God help us

to be able to enjoy

the benefits

of obedience

that result

in God's promises.

Let's pray.

Thank you Lord

for the example

of this group.

Thank you for

the mighty work

that you exemplified.

Thank you for

the wonder working

power of your spirit

working in a

very meager group

to accomplish

extraordinary

things.

Father,

thank you that you

use weak vessels.

You use us.

Help us Lord

to not only

know your instructions

help us to

faithfully carry out

your instructions

so we can enjoy

the benefits

of your power

in our lives

and also your power

working

in the lives

of those around us.

To your glory

we pray in Jesus name.

Amen.

God bless you.

Have a great week.

God bless you.

Thank you.